Shaquille O’Neal has always been larger than life. The four-time NBA champion was an unstoppable center who made backboards tremble. Off the court, though, Shaq has worn just as many hats, including being a musician. These days, fans know him by his moniker: DJ Diesel.
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The 53-year-old Laker legend is not just dabbling in music either. Over the years, he’s spun sets in some of the biggest venues around the world, from Tomorrowland in Belgium to Lollapalooza in Chicago. He’s also played in his old stomping grounds of Miami for the Ultra Music Festival. It’s truly phenomenal how he continues to cement his legacy as a truly multi-talented individual.
Shaq’s relationship with music isn’t new either. Long before he was DJ Diesel, he was breaking into the rap scene in the early ‘90s. His debut album, Shaq Diesel, actually went platinum, and he collaborated with hip-hop legends like The Notorious B.I.G. and Jay-Z. So while some people might think Shaq suddenly reinvented himself as a DJ, the truth is he’s been a part of the music industry for decades.
But why DJing? O’Neal revealed as such during a recent interview on the STRAIGHT GAME PODCAST. When the Diesel was asked whether he liked playing ball more or DJing, he admitted that they both filled the same need: a rush of adrenaline.
“It’s the same thing for me,” he stated. “I call it the adrenaline factor, and I never realized I was missing it. So then when I stopped playing, I didn’t have that.” The big man then joked that he was doing weird stuff after retirement because he didn’t know how to function without thousands of people screaming for him.
Fortunately, he attended a DJ set and found his new passion. “I just felt kind of sad. I went to a DJ concert one time. There was 500,000 people there,” he continued. “I was like, ‘I know how to DJ.’ So it just gives me an hour, an hour and a half to get that adrenaline pump I need.”
It’s nice to see Shaq admit from time to time that he can be vulnerable. Watching him shed his machismo attitude just makes him more likable because it reveals a human side to the man who used to shatter backboards for fun.
Funnily enough, music has become a family affair in the O’Neal household. Shaq’s son Myles has jumped into the DJ world, too. The father and son have even performed together as the O’Neal Boyz duo. They debuted together at Tomorrowland 2024.
But Myles didn’t just ride along. He has since built his own career in music, producing his own tracks while headlining sets at festivals like EDC Las Vegas. Watching the son of the Diesel build his very own legacy only helps the NBA Hall of Famers’ own. Greatness in all facets of life. Business, athletics, performance, and fatherhood. There truly is no one like Shaq.
